SAN ANTONIO – With the substantial growth and changes in the San Antonio River Basin over the past six years, community needs for park resources and watershed management have grown and evolved as well.

In light of this, the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) is updating its Nature-Based Parks Resources Master Plan and is working on Watershed Master Plans for each county.

The Karnes County meeting will take place on Feb. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Karnes County Offices on the Square located at 210 W. Calvert in Karnes City.

“There is a need throughout the San Antonio River Watershed to identify parks resource needs and to address flooding and water quality issues on a watershed basis,” said Gaylon Oehlke, Chairman of SARA’s Board of Directors from Karnes County. “SARA has undertaken these tasks in cooperation with stakeholders throughout Wilson, Karnes and Goliad counties in order to further its mission to sustain and enrich life in the watershed.”

During the last week of February, SARA will host public meetings in Wilson, Karnes and Goliad counties for stakeholders and the general public to provide comments on the parks and watershed master plans.

The parks master plan focuses on community needs for park resources. SARA will use the information provided by stakeholders to plan nature-based parks in the river basin. The plan can also be used by local governments and non-profit organizations to prioritize funding or to pursue alternative funding strategies.

“SARA planners are taking input from local citizens on what park resources we would like to see in our communities,” said Goliad County Judge David Bowman. “This parks plan is valuable to our communities because it helps us identify and build parks that are needed and wanted.”

“The watershed master plan we’re working on with SARA in Wilson County will be a great tool to ensure residents are safe and development has a positive impact on the watershed,” said Mayor Robert Gregory of La Vernia. “This holistic approach to watershed management is important to protect people and the river and creeks.”

SARA encourages the public to participate in the meeting in their area. For more information, please contact Luke Habenicht, SARA’s intergovernmental relations coordinator, at 210-302-3228 or LHabenicht@sara-tx.org.